Do the new Project Management Course!

The Project Management Course ran for two days. It covered four phases of project planning and management. For each phase a document drives key decision-making. The slideshow below refers to these phases and document drivers.

Twelve years experience informed the content of the Project Management Course. During this time we bid for a large number of government and municipal tenders. In this process we lost some and we won some. Thereby we learnt the lessons of successful bidding. Here the main lesson is that detailed planning results in successful project management. Therefore our Project Management Course is strong because it works in practice.

Method of Project Management Course

Over the years I adjusted the method and the document drivers. In the process I also fine-tuned a Project Plan and Resource Allocator. This is an Excel model. Here you enter all the work activities into this model. Then you divide these amongst your team members according to their expertise. Thereafter you determine the level of effort for each team member. This means timing the activity in fractions of a person-day. I use this Project Management Course currently. I decide on tenders. The proposals develop according to guidelines in the Project Management Course. I manage the projects according to the same principles.

These document drivers have stood me in good stead. They enable me to decide whether to go for a project. The Excel model is a great project management tool. The model clarifies the level of effort for each work activity. This is important for managing my team. It is critical for managing client expectations. And for managing scope creep, that bane of a project manager’s life.

Success of Project Management Course

The course was a great success. This is because it works in practice. Its practicality is because I use outcomes-based methods for facilitated training. I am able to do this because I am a SETA-qualified Facilitator and Assessor. Outcomes-based pedagogy is a powerful adult educational instrument. The following are comments from course participants.

Participants’ comments

“Easy to understand language, simplified further if needed. Excellent facilitator manual with accurate referencing to page numbers, etc”. (Crystal West, Habitat for Humanity, SA)

 

“I found the course to be accessible. Difficult concepts/terms were explained well. Thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this course. The constant interactive and reflective tasks allowed me to immediately process the information and make it “real”/relevant to my current work situation. 10 out of 10!! Thank you Paul!!! Am incredibly grateful for all the resources!!” (Claire du Trevou, Peoples Environmental Planning)

 

“Paul, I’m honest when I say that this is one of the best courses I’ve attended. Just returned from one Scotland where I studied at one of the best planning schools. Yours is right up there. WORLD CLASS. I’m very grateful that you went to this extent when the numbers dropped out. Know that you’ve made a MOERSE significant contribution to 7 young professionals. Thank you again, Walter” (Walter Fieuw, Making of Cities)

 

“Perhaps role play could be incorporated in each unit. It was a very useful way to understand. Overall excellent amount of content copvered in short time period. Generous sharing of useful resources. Bigger table would have been useful to allow space for folders and computers” (Skye Dobson, Shackdwellers International (SASDI))

 

“Very accessible. Opened up ideas but I need to investigate further”. (Noah Schermbrucker, Peoples Environmental Planning)

 

“Very good” (i.e. with respect to facilitation language…. “Content heavy, spreadsheets were helpful but was not practical” (Salisha Lauton, Habitat for Humanity, SA)

Future courses

This is the first Project Management Course I implemented. Unfortunately I did not have all the document drivers ready before the course. Now I have completed all 22 document drivers. In addition, I have updated and checked the Project Plan and Resource Allocator (Excel model). Within the model there are a set of instructions to guide the user.

I have since provided all participants with the document drivers and the Excel model. In addition I offered them a webinar to walk through the use of the model. Because the documents were late, this is at no extra cost.

The document drivers and Excel model are ready for future courses. Then we will ensure more table space for files and computers. In addition we will explain the written procedures for using the Excel model. Accordingly, I am positive that this will address the limitations referred to.

I believe that this course will generate great interest in  the market place. Therefore, I aim to sell many more course places. My selling point is that this training adds real value in the critical area of a Project Management Course.

Needs Analysis

The Project Planning and Management course addresses specific needs. To demonstrate this we have a short multiple choice questionnaire online.  That questionnaire will take only a few minutes of your time.  By completing the questionnaire you will better understand your and your staff’s needs. You will get a better idea of the value of this course to address those needs. You then submit the completed questionnaire to us. In this  way we will understand your needs better. And we will be able to customise the course content to meet those needs more closely. Therefore we invite you to complete the questionnaire online

Latest Course Offerings

I am currently busy developing a new website that will focus entirely on capacity building. This course will be the first on that website. In addition to the direct contact courses and webinar you can also purchase the document drivers and Excel model Resource Allocator. We will sell these products on the website through e-commerce. The slide show above explains where those products fit into the process. I will inform all followers of INSITE blogs when we launch the new site. 

Cape Town courses

In the meantime book your place on direct access courses that I will be running in Cape Town during July, August and September. For these courses the COSTS per participant (incl. VAT) is R2 490 (includes training, manuals & inserts, venue charges, teas and lunches).

Courses outside Cape Town

Those outside Cape Town but still in South Africa, can register their interest in a direct contact course. For these courses the COSTS per participant (incl. VAT) is R1 653 (includes training, manuals & inserts, but excludes venue charges, teas and lunches). Based on the level of interest we will contact you about the venue and these extra costs. Alternatively these could be covered by your organisations.

Webinar courses

We also offer the course through eight two-hour webinar sessions. In this case as participants you log into a venue on the internet. Through the internet I will facilitate the course. In this way you will be able to interact with me and other participants. We will still do all the interactive learning exercises in the course participants manual. The advantage of this is that you don’t have to leave your office. You only devote two hours a time for this. So it does not disrupt other pressing work deadlines. You also save on venue and refreshment costs. For these webinar courses the COSTS per participant (incl. VAT) is R1 830 (includes electronic participant manuals, page inserts, templates and Excel model, which will be mailed to participants; excludes connectivity which is for each participant’s account). If the webinar suits your requirements please register your interest.